12 Facts About Gondwana

Gondwana was a large landmass, often referred to as a supercontinent, that formed during the late Neoproterozoic (about 550 million years ago) and began to break up during the Jurassic period (about 180 million years ago).

Gondwana was not considered a supercontinent by the earliest definition, since the landmasses of Baltica, Laurentia, and Siberia were separated from it.

The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today's continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Zealandia, Arabia, and the Indian Subcontinent.

Regions that were part of Gondwana shared floral and zoological elements that persist to the present day.

Continent of Gondwana was named by the Austrian scientist Eduard Suess, after the region in central India of the same name, which is derived from Sanskrit for "forest of the Gonds".

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East Gondwana, comprising Antarctica, Madagascar, India, and Australia, began to separate from Africa.

East Gondwana then began to break up c when India moved northwest from Australia-Antarctica.

Opening of the South Atlantic Ocean divided West Gondwana, but there is a considerable debate over the exact timing of this break-up.

Break-up of Gondwana can be said to continue in eastern Africa at the Afar Triple Junction, which separates the Arabian, Nubian, and Somali plates, resulting in rifting in the Red Sea and East African Rift.

West Gondwana drifted north during the Devonian, bringing Gondwana and Laurasia close together.

The only traces of this evolution in Gondwana are amphibian footprints and a single jaw from Australia.

The islands still retain plants that originated in Gondwana and spread to the Southern Hemisphere continents later.